“Thank you, my lord, I do try.”
For some reason he seemed to find that vastly amusing, chuckling while offering her a piece of cake. She declined and he set it aside. “Perhaps you will permit me to call on you tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?” She couldn’t think of what else to say except, “I have an engagement with my sister.”
“Tuesday then? We could go for a ride in the park.”
Juliette craned her neck and searched the room while speaking offhandedly. “I do not ride, and even if I did, I have promised my brother to offer advice on—” She spotted the man she sought and instinctively started to move in his direction while saying over her shoulder, “If you will excuse me, there is someone with whom I must speak.”
Ignoring Euton’s attempt at stalling her, Juliette left him behind and wound her way through the crowd. It was quite a crush with several attendees standing shoulder to shoulder on the edge of the dance floor. She would have to circumvent them somehow if she was to reach Florian, which meant speaking an endless series of excuse me’s on her way toward her destination.
An ostrich plumed fan slapped her face and a gentleman elbowed her straight in the ribs while laughing in response to a joke. Cursing having to come here when she would so much rather stay home, Juliette focused on her purpose and continued onward, past a cluster of giggling debutantes and a similar, decades older, group of matrons who eyed her with undeniable censure.
It wasn’t easy ignoring them or pretending their low opinion of her and her family did not matter. It did and it hurt, but there were more important things for her to think of right now. So she ignored her failing confidence and raised her chin even higher. Back straight and eyes on her target, Juliette approached Florian as if she’d been raised in a palace instead of in the slums of St. Giles.
Florian sensed her before he saw her. Engrossed in conversation with Moore, an acquaintance of his who’d recently returned from America, he hadn’t spared a thought for any of the other guests attending the ball. Until now. It was as if his skin came alive beneath his evening attire, the scent wafting toward him so sweet, so captivating, so...
He instinctively turned and there she was, a vision clad in a gauzy concoction of blushing pink. Unlike the last time he’d seen her, she wore no bonnet. Instead her light brown hair, streaked with golden tresses, was piled up into an intricate mass of curls at the back of her head.
The sight made Florian want to unpin it and watch it fall over her shoulders. He frowned in response to the unbidden urge and deliberately pushed it aside so he could greet the woman with decorum. “Lady Juliette. What a pleasure it is to see you again. You look stunning as ever this evening.”
Her cheeks filled with color until they matched the shade of her gown in the most delightful way. “Thank you, sir. I apologize for interrupting your conversation but I was hoping for a moment of your time.” She glanced out across the sea of people. “It took some effort to get here.”
He could well imagine. Addressing his friend, he said, “May I present the Duke of Huntley’s sister, Lady Juliette?”
Moore bowed with all the gallantry of a well-schooled gentleman. “It is an honor.”
Florian turned to Juliette. “Allow me to introduce Mr. Moore. He was just telling me of the last two years he spent in New York City.”
“How exciting,” Lady Juliette told Moore. She served him a radiant smile that provoked the most unsavory feeling in Florian’s gut. He pushed that aside as well and clenched his jaw.
Moore’s eyes brightened with appreciation. “The journey alone was thrilling. I shall never forget the wide expanse of endless water surrounding the ship. And then that moment when we finally caught sight of land! It was extraordinarily exuberating.”
“What was your first impression of the city itself?” Lady Juliette asked. Her eyes were wide with interest.
“Oh, it is grand, thrumming with energy and filled with people all hoping to accomplish their dreams. And the layout of it is simply genius. The streets are straight and parallel, making it simple for anyone to find their way around.”
“How fascinating.” Lady Juliet threw a quick glance in Florian’s direction—the sort suggesting she was either attempting to be polite by acknowledging his presence or trying to confirm he wasn’t missing. Perhaps both. “I hope I have the opportunity to visit one day. Traveling abroad would be such an adventure.” She turned to Florian in that moment, her sparkling eyes prompting him to hold his breath. “From what I hear, you are well traveled as well, are you not?”
It took a second for his brain to get his tongue working again, the effect of being the subject of her interest so astonishingly pleasant it momentarily robbed him of his mental faculties. “Mostly in Europe,” he finally managed to say, “though my profession has taken me as far as St. Petersburg and even Persia.”
“Goodness gracious! That is quite something.”
Florian allowed his lips to quirk in response to Lady Juliette’s unfeigned enthusiasm. Oh, who was he kidding? The truth was he could not help but smile, the effect she had on him so enchanting he was practically preening. Which promptly made him frown.
“It is indeed,” Moore said. “Now, if you will excuse me, I believe Lady Juliette wished to speak withyou, Florian. I will allow her to do so without interfering any further.” He sketched a quick bow and disappeared into the crowd.
Florian appreciated Moore’s departure even though his nerves thrummed with uncertain anticipation. “Perhaps you would like to dance?” Even though hedetesteddancing since it never resulted in anything useful, he’d rather enjoyed partnering with her.
She met his gaze with a hint of mischief. “I would be delighted. Especially since I can think of no better place to address the subject at hand.”
Thrown by her enthusiasm, it took a second for Florian to pull himself together and offer the lady his arm. Her arm wound snuggly around his own and her hand settled neatly upon his forearm. Acutely aware of her warmth and the way his body responded, he guided Lady Juliette toward the edge of the dance floor where a cotillion was presently coming to an end. The music faded and the rustling of silks, the hum of voices and the shuffling of feet filled the air as couples made their way off the floor. The introduction to the next set began to play and Florian dropped a look at his partner.
Her eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted as if by surprise, and everything stilled around him, shoved into the background by the hard beat of his heart and the woman who filled his vision.
She pressed her lips together and took a deep breath. “Another waltz,” she said beneath her breath.
“Do you mind?” He didn’t want her to. He wanted her to want it as much as he did right now. Even though he knew it was unwise and even though he shouldn’t allow the attraction forming between them to flourish.
